Just One Bite
by Chipolata
Summary: Something sinister lurks in the forests behind Carmine Town. An old legend, and ancient curse, and a new victim. Would you sacrifice your humanity for power? Would you damn another for your freedom?
1. Prologue

Ms Fieldman sat her class down in the shade of a large oak. The day had turned out better than expected. Instead of showers, they got a pleasant sun peeking through the trees, and instead of the 'back table' boys destroying all life within sight, they had been well behaved. Okay, well behaved for them.  
  
"Okay kids! You have two hours. Eat, drink, be merry. Take photos of the Pokemon and trees if you haven't already. But don't leave the clearing. Understood?"  
  
Most of the class nodded, then separated into it's groups. Cindy's gang moved out into the sun. Marvin and the Geeks went looking for more Metapod specimens. The Pony Club began checking the surrounding trees for Oddishes.  
  
"Science sucks." Tommy announced, receiving much agreement from the four other boys.  
  
"Hey, why are we just sitting here?" Daniel asked.  
  
"What do you mean?" Asked Breyden, nervously. "You're not suggesting we... go into the forest, are you?"  
  
"What's the matter? Scared of the Bulbasaur?" Tommy teased.  
  
"It's not the Bulbasaur. It's.... you heard what the old man said!" Breyden tried to defend himself.  
  
"What? The Werepokemon? That's just a stupid legend!" Tommy dissed. "I think you're a little Pidgey! Aren't you? Pidgey! Pidgey!"  
  
The group laughed.  
  
"I'm not scared. I was just checking to see if you were!" Breyden replied hastily.  
  
"C'mon." Tommy shoved Breyden hard in the back toward the dark, thick trees. The rest of the boys followed.  
  
"Those boys are getting in trouble again. I can feel it." Ms Fieldman murmured.  
  
Tommy led the way through the thick undergrowth, pushing the past the greenery like he was wading through mud. There was the occasional sound from a Pidgeotto, or Rattata. As they walked further, the boys gathered closer to one another.  
  
"It's like someone's watching us." Daniel said, breaking the silence.  
  
"Shut up. It's just the Pokemon." Tommy cursed as he hit his leg. "Who put that rock there?"  
  
"Um....." Breyden was almost afraid to speak. "Did it just get quiet all of a sudden?"  
  
"Yeah, it's because of all the noise Tommy's making." Ben said.  
  
"No, it's not." Breyden was certain. They all were.  
  
The group was silent for what seemed like an eternity.  
  
"Let's go back." Daniel suggested.  
  
"This way." Tommy led.  
  
They pushed onwards for what seemed like hours. Instead of the growth getting thinner, like they expected, it got thicker, and the Pokemon still hadn't uttered a syllable. The silence was like a weight.  
  
"Ow!" Tommy grabbed his shin. "Not aga--" He paled.  
  
"What is it?" Breyden asked.  
  
"It... it's the same rock." Tommy was staring, getting paler by the second.  
  
"What?" Daniel asked.  
  
"It's same rock. The one I bashed my leg on last time." Tommy turned, white as a sheet. "We went in a circle."  
  
"Impossible." Not even Ben was convinced of his own words.  
  
"I know." Breyden said. He tore a piece of bark off a nearby tree. "We'll walk in the same direction we did last time. I'll keep the bark. If we come by this tree again, we'll know we're lost."  
  
"Good idea." Tommy said. He let Daniel lead.  
  
The walked and walked and walked, and again it seemed to go on for hours. It got harder and harder to walk.  
  
"Ouch!" Daniel cried.  
  
"Oh no!" Breyden breathed, staring.  
  
"What?" Ben asked.  
  
Breyden pointed to the tree he was staring at.  
  
It was missing a piece of bark.  
  
A piece of bark the exact same size and shape as the one in his hand.  
  
"What's going on?" Tommy whispered.  
  
A large growl sounded behind them.  
  
Turning, the boys came face-to-face with a large pair of golden eyes, staring at them from the dark shadows of the trees.  
  
The boys screamed, and began running with all their might away from the eyes.  
  
The eyes followed, and were revealed as a beast, somehow man and Pokemon at the same time.  
  
Tommy tripped.  
  
The other boys ran on.  
  
"HELP!!" He cried! "HELP ME!"  
  
Breyden stopped and turned.  
  
"TOMMY!! BEHIND YOU!!" He warned.  
  
Tommy turned. The Beast was towering over him.  
  
Licking it's lips.  
  
"AAARRRGGGHHH!!!" Tommy screamed.  
  
"TOMMY!!!" Breyden yelled, and began searching for something, anything!  
  
"I've waited so long!" The Beast howled in a twisted voice, filled with pain, longing and primal delight.  
  
It grabbed Tommy and pulled him up towards him.  
  
"TOMMY!!" Breyden cried helplessly.  
  
The Beast bit down on Tommy's shoulder.  
  
Then, both of them howled out in pain. A blue light, a mist, surrounded them both.  
  
Breyden tried to watch, but it was all too bright, and loud.  
  
After what seemed an eternity, the screaming stopped.  
  
Breyden finally opened his eyes.  
  
They were both gone. 


	2. Chapter One

**~ CHAPTER ONE ~**

The sun was shining brightly through the ancient green trees which lined the dirt path through the forest to the town of Carmine. The faintest breeze made the leafy branches dance and the sky was clear but for a few white streaks. The forest was alive with the chatter of birds and the play of young Pokemon.

The residents of Carmine were out in the sunshine taking advantage of the break they had been given from the normally cold Spring weather. Children were playing in the streets, clothing was out on the line, and everybody was out getting busy while they could. Many tame Pokemon were assisting their trainers in their duties, fixing leaky rooves, lifting and carrying, and using their special abilities.

Sitting at the steps to the Ancient Temple and enjoying the peace, Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu munched happily on a mid-morning snack.

"Wow. What a beautiful town." Misty commented.

"Yeah, it's nice." Ash agreed through his sandwich.

"I think it's great how the people and their Pokemon get along so well." Brock said, observing a Machoke lifting boards of wood to hand to a worker.

"It's always like this in Carmine." Came an old, wisened voice from behind them.

They turned around. A short, old but wise looking man in a white and grey robe was standing at the top of the stairs. He looked up at the sky.

"This change in the weather was very sudden." he frowned. "It may spell disaster for a young man, if he's not careful."

"Excuse me?" Misty asked.

The old man smiled, and looked down again. "Pardon me. My name is Tatewaki. I run this temple. Have you not heard the legends of the forests that surround Carmine to the North?"

"Legends?" Ash repeated.

"Follow me." Tatewaki turned and entered the Temple.

Inside the doors of the Temple was a small, colourful garden which was surrounded by covered area. The sun reflected off a small waterfall. Behind the garden, Ash could see a building which looked like it had two stories. The Temple did indeed feel very ancient.

The old man led them around the garden to the building. It was of the distinct Japanese style. There were carvings on some of the wood panels, some which looked like Pokemon, some like people.

Inside the Temple building Tatewaki served the three trainers some tea, and gave Pikachu his own cup of water. He sat down with them, pulling out an old scroll.

"This legend has been around longer than this Temple. The scrolls are passed down from the guardian to his son, who would become the next guardian." Tatewaki explained. "The legend goes like this: in the Carmine Forest lives a beast, who is not man, but not Pokemon or animal. The scrolls define it as part man, part Pokemon, a Werepokemon."

Tatewaki unrolled the scroll. On it were pictures of a man-beast, trapped in trees, attacking people, and there was scratchy writing that Ash couldn't read.

"The Werepokemon is a shape-shifter; he can take any form he wishes, except he cannot become completely human, or one Pokemon.

"Magic binds him to the Carmine Forest. He is forced to live there, for eternity, until he can pass his curse to another."

"How does he do that?" Brock asked.

"Much like a werewolf makes another werewolf through his bite, the Werepokemon must pass his curse on through his fangs." Tatewaki explained. "Once his curse has been lifted, he returns to his human form. It is said that when fate brings a clear day to Carmine, it will also deliver a victim to the Werepokemon."

"So that's what you meant by that thing you said outside." Misty realised.

"Yes."

There was a slight pause, and Ash brought his cup down with determination written on his face.

"I say we go find it." He said, standing up.

"What?" Tatewaki stood. "Are you mad?"

"Wouldn't it be cool to find it?" Ash asked. "A Pokemon Master would be able to!"

"Magic, mystery, it's all so romantic!" Misty sighed.

"And if we found him, we might even be able to help him lift the curse!" Brock suggested.

"Oh, you'll help him get rid of the curse alright." Tatewaki muttered under his breath, then yelled at the rising trainers. "It's too dangerous!!"

"Thanks for the tea!" Ash waved as he and his friends left the temple.

"You don't understand! It's not just a legend!" Tatewaki called after them. "The last boy! He was..."

The trainers were out of hearing distance.

"...my son..." Tatewaki trailed off, watching the three trainers run off into the forest.

"What a brilliant day!" Ash announced, stretching as he walked.

The pleasant sun peeked through the trees, dancing across the ground.

"It feels like nothing could go wrong." Misty breathed deeply.

Brock looked around at the bright, lively forest that surrounded them. "It's hard to believe that such a dark legend would surround such a beautiful forest."

"It's probably just to keep the tourists from trampling the flowers or something." Ash replied, hands behind his head.

Pikachu looked up to the branches of the trees.

The three trainers continued following the trail, chatting lightly about their surroundings, and Pokemon. Soon, the trail ended at a large, circular clearing.

"This'd make a great camping spot." Brock commented.

"So, d'you the think this is where the Werepokemon lives?" Misty asked.

"Let's look around." Ash suggested.

They spread out, walking to different ends of the clearing in search of clues of any kind. They sifted through grass, looked behind trees.

'Why does it feel like I'm being watched?' Misty wondered to herself, shuddering.

"Pika!" Pikachu yelled from the middle of the clearing.

"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he jogged up.

"It looks like a lunch box." Brock observed, crouched down over the item. "But very old. It must have been left here a long time ago."

"Weird." Ash commented.

There was a long, silent pause.

"Maybe we should get out of here." Misty shivered.

"What?" Ash demanded. "Go home? But we came for the Werepokemon! Don't tell me you're scared!"

"I'm not scared!" Misty snapped. "I just think we should be careful, that's all!"

"Well, the Werepokemon obviously isn't in this clearing." Brock said, standing. "I think that if we want to find it, we need to search the trees."

"Good idea." Ash agreed.

"Alright, but as long as we all stick together." Misty insisted.

"Fine!" Ash sighed, throwing his arms in the air.

The trainers marched off to the trees. Pikachu took one last look around, before hurrying to catch up to his friends.

"I've waited so long...." A voice softly moaned on the wind, hungry eyes watching the newcomers entering the forest.

_His_ forest.


End file.
